Following a directive issued by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Wednesday to repair roads within 72 hours, the Public Works Department (PWD) launched an intensive campaign on Thursday. On the first day of the drive, the department successfully filled 872 potholes using a tar and gravel mixture. The initiative serves the dual purpose of road maintenance and pollution prevention.
To execute the campaign, the PWD deployed 200 maintenance vans, which inspected 490 kilometres of the department's total 1,259-kilometre road network. In addition to repairing potholes, the teams conducted comprehensive cleaning operations. Debris and rubbish collected on roadsides and footpaths were removed, while dust and soil were cleared from central verges to curb dust pollution.
The mobilisation followed a high-level meeting held by the Chief Minister on Wednesday, where she mandated that all potholes be filled within a 72-hour window. Acting on this, Public Works Minister Pravesh Verma instructed PWD officials on Wednesday evening to dedicate the maintenance fleet specifically to this task. Consequently, the vans were reassigned from general upkeep to focus on the urgent filling of potholes and removal of roadside waste.
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A senior PWD official confirmed that the campaign will continue through Friday and Saturday to ensure full compliance with the directive. To ensure transparency and accountability, all 200 maintenance vans have been connected to a GPS system and are being monitored online from a central control room. The administration has adopted a zero-tolerance policy regarding the quality of work. Officials have been warned that immediate disciplinary action will be taken against anyone found negligent in their duties or failing to enforce pollution standards.
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